SINGAPORE: A 33-year-old employee took to an online forum on Wednesday (Feb 5) to share his feelings about his job, saying his health has suffered due to work stress and long hours. Sometimes, he works till 1 or 2 am.
“I feel like resigning from my current (work)place” the man wrote. “I’ve been in a newish job for about six months now, getting around mid-$7k a month. I’ve been losing my health slowly over the past six months due to the demands of the job, working till about 9 pm on average daily (sometimes till 1 to 2 am). The stress is really high too and constantly pressing down on me. It’s hard to secure a new role as the job makes it really hard to attend interviews. Do you all think quitting first is a decent idea given the current job climate versus saving my mental health?”
Many responded to his cry for help, sharing insights of their own. “Do it,” one encouraged. “I recently quit a job that paid very handsomely due to the hours being insane (constantly working till 2 to 3 am, some days never sleeping at all). It’s been a month and I feel it was the best decision I made in my life, I probably would have died if I continued in that role.”
A couple of others shared similar experiences, while many commenters commented on the stress and mental health issues often associated with certain positions. “No job is worth your health,” said another. “No point making a lot of money and then giving it all back to the doctors later. Also, you may even end up too sick to work, so even more strain on your savings.”
“Pay and mental health are usually inversely related,” wrote a third. “If you are in a high-paying role, then you will probably have big responsibilities, demands and important stakeholders to answer to. I think you have to decide which one you want, a lower-paying job or one that gives you high stress.”
One suggested using MCs for job interviews. “Since you are intent on leaving, why not just do what most job hoppers do and use MCs for interviews?” he asked. “It really doesn’t matter anymore what your appraisal will be in a year’s time or if they threaten to put you on PIP or fire you, does it?”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), although a decent amount of work can contribute to mental well-being, certain work environments and schedules pose mental health risks.
